We held the tenth sake tasting event at Sake & Grill MAEDAYA in Richmond.
Sake brewers from Iwate travelled to Australia for the event featuring their sake.
Mr. Kikuchi (left) and Mr. Takao (right), from Asabiraki Sake Brewery.
"Asabiraki", located in Iwate prefecture, Tohoku region, is surrounded by nature and its natural spring water is suitable for rice production. "Asabiraki" sake is made from spring water sourced inside their premises and has been highly rated in a number of competitions. They say it started when a highly skilled sake brewer from Hyogo prefecture moved to Yamagata prefecture and developed sake which had a well-balanced flavor.
The sake we tasted were as follows:
(From left to right)
1. ASABIRAKI NAMBURYU DENSHODUKURI DAIGINJO
2. ASABIRAKI JUNMAI OKARAKUCHI SUIJIN
3. ASABIRAKI NAMBURYU KANZUKURI JUNMAI GINJO
4. ASABIRAKI JUNMAISHU
5. ASABIRAKI GOKUJO JUNMAI DAIGINJO KYOKUSEN
6. ASABIRAKI HONJO NAMACHOZO-SHU (Not in the photo)
Salad with Edamame Paste Shiokoji
&
NAMBURYU DENSHODUKURI DAIGINJO
: It is smooth with a rich aroma
Tuna and Salmon Carpaccio
&
HONJO NAMACHOZO-SHU
:It is full-bodied with a subtle aroma
Prawn Tempura with Mentaiko Cream Sauce
&
NAMBURYU KANZUKURI JUNMAI GINJO
:It is slightly sweet and pleasant mouth-feel and goes well with strong flavored dishes
Ume Yakitori, Tsukune with Wasabi Mayonnaise & Pork Asparagus
&
JUNMAISHU
:It is semi-dry with a mild flavor. It is one of the most popular sake for consumption with meals
Wagyu Roll
&
JUNMAI OKARAKUCHI SUIJIN
:It is very dry with a rich flavor. It has a crisp, clean flavor and complements Western cuisine
Konjac Jelly with Umeshu Flavor
While waiting for the next dish to come, we enjoyed sake and sake-related stories told by Mr. Maeda, the owner of the restaurant. He explained to the international audience the basics of sake, such as types of rice and its selection, and the grades of sake such as GINJO and DAIGINJO.
We finished the evening with a signature sake, GOKUJO JUNMAI DAIGINJO KYOKUSEN.
The sake became famous since Prime Minister Noda served it at the United Nations dinner in New York City as a token of appreciation for the support following the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster. It is now known as a top shelf liquor, sold for $688 in the United States.
The fruity, mild aroma of GINJO left us a strong impression. Its full-body and smooth taste made it an appropriate drink to close the evening.
[A prize was given to the winner of Rock Paper Scissors]
The guests from Asabiraki shared their thoughts on this event.
Mr. Takao： I was extremely happy to see that Australian people were genuinely interested in our sake. Everyone has different preferences for sake, so it was very stimulating to hear their unbiased opinions
Mr. Kikuchi： Many Australian people already have basic knowledge of and interest in sake. I am also grateful that they learnt more about our company. Our company focused on ICE activities (I=Information, C=Communication, E=Education) and has a policy to directly communicate with our customers. We see our future as a pioneer in global markets.
Thank you very much for your delicious sake at this event.
We are looking forward to the next premium sake tasting event.
SAKE & GRILL MAEDAYA
Address: 400 Bridge Rd Richmond VIC 3121
TEL: 03 9428 3918
WEB: www.sakejapan.com.au
Opening Hours: Sun – Thu 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri and Sat 5.30pm – 11pm
